We are all the product of a reproductive process, yet reproductive biology, or the study of the processes and mechanisms involved in reproduction, is not well understood. Deepening our understanding of reproductive biology is crucial to advancing assistive reproductive technologies (ART) and advancing our collective comprehension of inheritance and evolution. 

Our guests for this episode are a couple, and we mean a literal married couple, of reproductive biology experts. Dr. Pavla Brachova and Dr. Nehemiah Alvarez, both working in the Eastern Virginia Medical School’s Department of Physiological Sciences. In their collaborative work they aim to better understand and characterize the role of RNA and cellular events that impact ovarian function in women. We learn about their work with oocytes, which are single cells that grow and mature within the ovary and once fertilized provide the foundations of an embryo capable of maturing to a new individual. They outline how they use digital PCR (dPCR) and other methods to monitor RNA regulation in single cells and how progressing this work and lead to potential RNA-based therapies. 

In Cassie’s career corner we hear childhood stories from each guest and learn about their respective career paths, which eventually collided and merged. They share insights on the importance of having mentors experienced in your field, the challenges of shared job searching, and the joys of collaborating as a couple with shared scientific interests.

Visit the Absolute Gene-ius page to learn more about the guests, the hosts, and the Applied Biosystems QuantStudio Absolute Q Digital PCR System.